Last week Leinster got the job done against the Dragons but it wasn't pretty. There was a healthy enough crowd of 18,500 but the atmosphere was subdued at best. In fairness to the fans, the players didn't help things with an extremely scrappy first half performance. But there was a genuinely strange moment when the Dragons were shown a yellow card for a high tackle in the first half. Normally you'd expect a cheer or maybe a bit of booing from the home crowd, but there simply wasn't any reaction at all, not a sound. It really showed the level of disengagement.
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As opening weekends go, the URC couldn't have asked for more in terms of entertainment value.

Sure, it might have been even better if the South Africans hadn't postponed their two games because of the Currie Cup final. But the six remaining games, one draw and five one-score victories, were all high-scoring, competitive games. The game of the round was Munster v Connacht with the lead changing hands seven times as both sides scored five tries each.
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"Small Margins."
"Only a score in it."
"If a few decisions had just gone our way!"

The post match comments from players and coaches were all too familiar to fans as Leinster ended another season trophyless. The players seemed quite comfortable using these stock phrases and in fairness, they've had plenty of practice lately.
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Leinster are in South Africa and this time, it ain't the kids and the B squad!

Even though the top South African teams are in their third year in the tournament, this will be the first time most of the match squad will actually play a game there in blue. This is due to the fact that Leinster's double headers down there have so far been scheduled for later in the season when Leinster have been busy in the Champions Cup. So effectively the B team travelled with a strong emphasis on youth.
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It's knock-out rugby from now on and it's a tough road if Leinster want to win a first trophy in three years.

If they win tomorrow, they're looking at a trip to Pretoria in the semi finals, most likely. And if they get through that then it's likely a final in Limerick. That they face such a tough trip is in no small part due to the team they face tomorrow. For all the drama they've had to put up with, Ulster have beaten Leinster twice this season and if just one of those had been wins, Leinster would have finished in top spot. And they'll have their regrets about both games.
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